Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-05-25


A few DAYS ago the largest gas well in
the world was struck near Fndlay. Its
daily output Is 2O,0O0, 200 cubic feet.
There are in the aggregate forty-iyc g.s
wells in and about Findlay. Together they
pour forth lon, OW OOO cubic feet OF gas
daily, an amount equal in heating capaci-
| Is to 1000 tons OF coal.
The Ohio natural gls is said to he richer
IN heat producing properties than the
| PENNSYLVANIA gas by IL per cent, accord
| ing TO the tests and estimates OF scientific
men. A practical manufacturer of glass
| told me, however that there was a differ
ence of 80 per cent IN favor of the Ohio
g,ls; ut Pittsburg it required Sixteen
gas pipes OF a uniform size to meet the de
mands of his furnace, while ut Findlay
the same amount of work was done by
eight pipes similar in size and arrange
ment.
The town Of Findlay has a unique Situa-
ton. 1t stands directly over a great reser-
voir of natural gas and petroleum.
There is a very important and significant
tact in connection with the Ohio gas and
| oil discoveries. Both fluids come from the
Trenton limestone, widespread torma-
| ton of the lower sllurian aye. In order
| that gas OF oil may Ice given forth IN val
! liable quantities there must always he
some structural popularity in the Trenton
| limestone formation 80 that AN arch Will
| he formed to serve rs u SturehOuSc for the
finds 10 accumulate in. The town Of
Fiudlay, which is the center of the gas
region, is built over such a fold or arch in
L - no o. FRANKLY Dt
this arch is coincitlent with the north and
south line made by the Main street OF
! Findlay. so that well may be
drilled anywhere east OF that street, and
dry gas will be found in abundance nj a
depth of about |, 100 feet. \ person can
not dig n cellar or well without setting
gas free, and il is said, in Jest, that diff
Guilty is found in setting fence posts on az
count of the pressure OF gas from beneath.
The ground seems to he saturated with 1t,
and it was the presence OF very consider
able surface indications that led to the
drilling OF the first gas we'll, three years
AGO The people of FIndlay saw indica-
toms of gas for half century without suS-
Meeting the remarkable treasure underly-
| ING them. One man in the town, Ger
man physician named Charles OeSterlen,
read the signs with an intelligent and pro-
phetic eye Forty years ago he be
came convinced that an enormous
reservoir of natural gas lay beneath
the town of Findlay. He told his
belief and was seOffed at-men called
him the "gus fool" and until 1881 he was
REGARDED AZ a vain dreamer. But patience
and perseverance ut last prevailed, and
three years ago he succeeded in organizing
a stock company TO drill for gas. The well
was a successful one, and when the gas
gushed forth with painting roar and shot
a column of flame sixty feet into the AR,
people were alarmed for time. But the
faith of DIR. Oesterlen was indicated and
the truth of his theories established.
Findlay was small and almost unknown
town when gas was struck. 1t took year
for the news of the wonderful discoveries
to spread, and it was not till last year,
when the great Karg well, with capacity
of $4,000, 900 cubic feet daily, was struck,
that the attention of the public was ar
rested nv the developments and possibilities
at Findlay.
The owners of the wells were ut loss to
DISPOSE of their gas for time. For many
months the great Karg well blew Its
mighty volumes of gas into the air and
wasted enough every hour to supply city.
The roar of this we'll could be heard for two
miles. and when it WAS lighted at night q
great balloon shaped tower of flame sprang